Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.
Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.
Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.
The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.
Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.
If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.
There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.
Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.
Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.
Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).
If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.
Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."
Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.
Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.
There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.
Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.
It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.
Wouldn't the documentation of a six year media rights waiver to the conference be available via the freedom of information act? That is how details on coaches contracts are usually obtained. Seems like if the six year pact is a done deal, the contract would be available to see. [Reply]
Originally Posted by kstater:
You're right, a University president is much less reputable source than a random post on a message board.
Tech is just along for the ride, much like KSU. They have no clue what is really going on behind the scenes.
Pledging the media rights was discussed non-stop when the league was trying to keep A&M and Missouri. If every school signed it, the Big 12 would certainly throw a parade and send out mass press releases to try and prove to everyone else how stable the league is.
Originally Posted by Reaper16:
But a guy whose username is TTRaider is plugged in?
It's not a credible claim yet. It's just a post from a poster who proved to have correct insider information previously on conference realignment and claims to have it again. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Reaper16:
But a guy whose username is TTRaider is plugged in?
Do you know the guy's posting history? He has earned slightly more credibility than your random internet message board poster.
And I'm not saying this guy is gospel, but it is an interesting comment that helps support the general feeling outside the Big 12 that texass is bolting sooner rather than later. [Reply]
If Texas and OU bolt for the PAC-XX and my name is Okie Lite, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor or Iowa State, I would be afraid. Very afraid. [Reply]
Actually, I think Baylor and KSU have the most to worry about. My gut tells me that if the Big XII fell apart, TCU and WVU would head to the SEC. Also I think the Big X would surprise most experts and take ISU. They have decent athletics and are an AAU university that is big into research. KU I also see going to the Big X. I think if KU was offered that spot sans KSU they would cut ties with them in a heartbeat. TT and OSU go wherever Texas and OU go. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Actually, I think Baylor and KSU have the most to worry about. My gut tells me that if the Big XII fell apart, TCU and WVU would head to the SEC. Also I think the Big X would surprise most experts and take ISU. They have decent athletics and are an AAU university that is big into research. KU I also see going to the Big X. I think if KU was offered that spot sans KSU they would cut ties with them in a heartbeat. TT and OSU go wherever Texas and OU go.
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
If Texas and OU bolt for the PAC-XX and my name is Okie Lite, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor or Iowa State, I would be afraid. Very afraid.
Why wouldn't Oklahoma State get to go along with UT and OU? They have a great football program and a lot of financial backing, obviously. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Actually, I think Baylor and KSU have the most to worry about. My gut tells me that if the Big XII fell apart, TCU and WVU would head to the SEC. Also I think the Big X would surprise most experts and take ISU. They have decent athletics and are an AAU university that is big into research. KU I also see going to the Big X. I think if KU was offered that spot sans KSU they would cut ties with them in a heartbeat. TT and OSU go wherever Texas and OU go.
The Big Ten is not going to invite Kansas and Iowa State. That's hilarious. [Reply]
Originally Posted by evenfall:
Why wouldn't Oklahoma State get to go along with UT and OU? They have a great football program and a lot of financial backing, obviously.
Because Oklahoma State is basically a community college, and the old school academic guard in the PAC still has a lot of power. I think the next round of expansion sees Texas and OU both shrugging off little brother(s) as they move to the PAC.
If the PAC was willing to accept Okie Lite, OU and oSu would both already be in the league. OU's desire to bring oSu with it is the REAL reason they came back to the Big Clusterf****. Unless you REALLY believe David Boren wanted to "save the league." [Reply]
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
Do you know the guy's posting history? He has earned slightly more credibility than your random internet message board poster.
And I'm not saying this guy is gospel, but it is an interesting comment that helps support the general feeling outside the Big 12 that texass is bolting sooner rather than later.
I'm not making any judgements about that poster. I'm making judgments about your logic.
Can we assume that TTRaider (as in T[exas]T[ech][Red]R[aider]) is getting his historically-reliable inside info because he has connections inside Texas Tech? It seems likely. If so, then you shouldn't then also claim that Texas Tech is "just along for the ride," lacking knowledge of "behind the scenes" goings-on. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Reaper16:
I'm not making any judgements about that poster. I'm making judgments about your logic.
Can we assume that TTRaider (as in T[exas]T[ech][Red]R[aider]) is getting his historically-reliable inside info because he has connections inside Texas Tech? It seems likely. If so, then you shouldn't then also claim that Texas Tech is "just along for the ride," lacking knowledge of "behind the scenes" goings-on.
Either the dude's been consistently correct breaking information, or he hasn't. He has. That's really all that matters. [Reply]
Originally Posted by :
All 10 schools have signed a six-year grant of rights, which means if a team leaves for another conference and plays on television, the Big 12 gets the money.
